Electrical advertising machine



c. G. RoEscH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINE Sept.

Filed Nov. '7, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 1O000000000.0080000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooooo00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oo00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.00000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000090000000 00 000000000000 0O OOOOOOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOO 000000000000000000000000000000000000.0000000000000000000000000000000000oooooo0000000000000000000.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooo000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000oo0000000000o0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooooo00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000o0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000o00o000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000O00000060009000O000000000OO0000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOOOO000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 o000000 00000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000o0o0oo0000000o000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000oo00000000000000000o00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000 OOOOQO00000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000 000 00000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000o00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000 00 00000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000 00 00000000000000000000000000000000 000900000000 00 0o 00000000000000000000000000000 0000600000 00 o 00 00o00000000000000000000000000 OOBOOOOOOQW. Q 0 O..0.000.0000000600'0000000000 I BY INVIENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

c. G. RoEscH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING momma Sept.

1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. '7,

INVENTOR WITNESS:

ATTORN EY Sept. 7 1926. 1,599,350

c. G. ROESCH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINE Filed Nov. '7, N24 6Sheets-Shed. 5

W M I t\\ \x INVENTOR .dJ/Rmm /4 WITNESS: ATTORNEY Sept. 7 ,1926.

C. G. ROESCH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINE Filed O '7, 1924 6Sheets-Sheet 4.

G'Izrzlsfz'an ERae-sak ATTORNEY INVENTOR WITNESS:

Sept. 7 1926.

- C. G. ROESCH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINE 6 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov.

imm

*Ni g ('krz'aiz'an 6' P e-Sch ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Sept. 7 1926.

C. G. ROESCH ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1924 6Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR I flmjiww wnusss: ATTORNEY construction 0Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

1,599,350 PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN G. BOESCH, NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING MACHINEL Appllcation filed November 7, 1924.Serial No. 748,472.

This invention relates to electrical advertising machines, and contemlates a structure includin a sign board w ich supports a plurality 0electric light bulbs arranged in norinall open circuits, and adapted tobe illuminate in different combinations, for the urpose of forming anyletter, word or com inations of letters on the board for advertisingpurposes.

e chief characteristic of the present invention residin in the provisionof a novel means for selectively illaminating the bulbs in the mannerand for the pur se above stated, and a rovision of means orextinguishing the ho] s when desired. y

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understoodwhen the following detailed description is read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the invention residing 1n the construction,comblnation and arrangement of parts as claimed.

tional view showin the arran In the drawings forming part of thisapplication, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in theseveral views, and wherem:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine.

Fi ing or the means employed for selectively illuminating said bulbs andextinguishing the bulbs, said housing being partly broken away.

F1 ure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of said Tiousing.

Fi re 4 IS a sectional view through the machine showingtherelativearrangement of the o crating means with respect to the sign boar Figure5 is an enlarged fragmentary secment'of the switches used for cfosingthe circuits to said bulbs and also. showing how the switches arereturned to their-normal positions.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of Figure-5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the operating means showin how theplungers are mounted with relation to the pivoted latch elements to thevarious switches.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Figure 3.

re 2 is a view in elevation of the hous-- Figure 11 is a sectional viewtaken on line 11-11 of Figure 2.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Figure 2.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the movable switchelements.

Figure 14 is a view showing different types of devices used foroperating the plungers.

The present invention contemplates the use of a sign board indicated at10, and this board is adapted to sup ort a plurality of electric lightbulbs whic are arranged in normally 0 en circuits, and adapted to beselectivel i luminated in different combinations, to orm any particularletter, combination of letters oi; words, or any particular design ormonogram for advertising purposes. The board 10 is adapted to bearranged at any advantageous position, or at some point remote from themechanism used to selectively illuminate and extinguish'the bulbs. Theboard 10 may also vary in size and configuration without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, and may also support any number of rows ofelectric light bulbs. The board however, is preferably of a size tosupport a plurality of bulbs arlanged in vertical and horizontal rows of60 bulbs in each vertical row and approximately 72 bulbs in eachhorizontal row. As shown in Figure 4, these bulbs are arran d innormally 0 en'circuits and connecte in parallel, andt e means forselectively closmg these circuits for the purpose above stated isarranged in a housing 12 which reposes upon a suitable supportingstructure 13 as clearly shown in Figure 2. This housing and itssupporting structure can be arranged at any p ace within a room orbuilding, or it may e arranged within a suitable casing constituting thebody of the machine, and upon one side of which is mounted the signboard 10.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the housing 12 is preferably ofinverted V- sha ed formation in elevation, and arranged wit in thishousing is apl urality of lunger rods 14 which have their correspon ingupper extremities projecting through openings 15 in one side of saidhousing, which side is indicated at 16. The other "correspondinextremities of these rods 14 project throug the board 17 of the housingas clearly shown in Figure 7, and each rod bears against a pivoted latch18 suspended from theunderside of the board 17 and utilized to maintainthe movable switch elements in their normal horizontal positions. Thereis one of these movable switch elements 19 for each bulb 11, and eachswitch element 19 when moved from its normal horizontal position to itsactive position as shown in Figure 5, said element, 19 is receivedbetween a pair of tired contacts 20 which of course closes the. circuitto the particular bulb on the sign board 10. Carried by each movablecontact 19 is a transverse pin 21 which projects beyond the oppositesides of the element 19 as shown in Figure 9. One end of each pin isadapted to be received by a notch 22 formed in the adjacent latchelement 18 .to hold the movable switch element 19 normally in ahorizontal position, each latch element being normally held in itsactive position b a coiled spring 23 terminally connected with thebottom of the housing, and with said latch. The other end of each pin 21is engaged by a leaf spring 24, which spring is connected with the pivotfor the switch element 19. The spring 24 is under tension when theswitch element 19 is in its normal position, and just as soon as thesaid switch element is released from its cooperating latch 18, thespring 24 functions to move the switch element from its normallyhorizontal position, to its active position as shown in Figure 5. Thefree end of each movable switch element 19 is reduced as at 25 to bereceived by a covering 26 of suitable insulated material, while passedtransversel through said insulated covering is a heat ed pin 27 whichengages the fixed contacts 20 to close the circuit for the particularbulb adapted to be illuminated by said switch. The fixed contacts 20 aresupported by a base or wall of insulated material indicated at 28, whichis arranged directly beneath and )arallel with the board 17 of thehousing a ove referred to, this arrangement being clearly illustrated inFigure 5. Surrounding each plunger rod 14 is a coiled spring 30. one endof which bears against a cross pin 31 carried by said rod, while theother end of the spring bears against the bottom 17 of said housing.These springs normally hold the rods- 14 projected through the openings15 in the side 16 of the housing. In order to release any particularswitch element 19, it is necessary to depress the adjacent rod 14against the tension of its spring 30, and when this rod is depressed, itpushes upon the adjacent latch element 18, swinging the latter away fromthe cross pin 21 with which it was initially associated, therebyallowing the particular switch element 19 to be thrown to its activeposition through the instrumentality of the spring 24 above referred to.After each rod has been depressed in the manner and for the purpose justdescribed,

the spring returns the rod to its normal position,while the spring 23returns the particular latch element to its normal position. Inasmuch,as there is one rod 14 for each movable switch element 19, and one ofthese switch elements 19 for each bulb 11, the various bulbs supportedby the sign board 10 can be selectively illuminated in differentcombinations to form any particular letter, or combination of letters,or words, which of course are presented to view from the sign board foradvertising purposes.

It will now be noted upon inspection of Figures 3 and 10 that the side16 of the housing 12 is provided with an opening 15 for each rod 14,while intersecting tncsc openings are grooves 32. As shown in F ig are10, the corresponding upper extremities of the rods 14 project throughsaid openings 15 into grooves 32, so that the said rods can beconveniently and easily depressed by means of hand devices of thecharacter shown in Figure 14. Each of these devices includes a handle 33which is bifurcated at one end as at 32, and journaled in saidbifurcations is one or two rollers 35. In other words, one of thedevices is provided with a single roller, while the other hand device isprovided with a pair of such rollers, and their use depends upon thedesirability of singly depressing the rods 14, or operating two of theserods simultaneously. The hand device is used by rotating the roller orrollers 35 in one or two of the grooves 32 formed on the side 16 of thehousing, and it is obvious that as the rollers pass through saidgrooves, the rods engaged by said rollers are depressed to release thecorresponding switch elements 19 in the manner above described. The handdevices are preferably used in connection with stencils which are firstlaid upon the side 16 of the housing. and as the rollers are passed overthe stencils, the rods 14 are selectively depressed or operated toilluminate n'edetermined combinations of bulbs on the board 10 to formthe necessary letters of a particular word or group of words to bepresented to view for advertising purposes. The manner of using thebulbs in this connection is clearly illustrated in Figure 1, whereinitwill be noted that certain con'ibinations of bulbs areused to spellthe words The electric sign board. It is of course to be understood thatthe hand device shown in Figure 14 can be used independently of thestencil above referred to, and that use may be made of a rule 36 whichis mounted for sliding movement upon the wall or side 16 of the housing.The rule 36 is of course used to guide the roller or rollers in astraight line through a particular groovev or grooves 32 formed in theside 16 of said housing.

The various movable switch elements 19 moved into their normalpositions,

.21-are engaged by the latch elements 18. It will benotedupon inspectionof Figure .is mounted on the supporting structure 13 for the housing'12.This means includes a plurality of slides 37 whicharearranged in spacedparallel relation, and slide within grooves 38 formedin the baseor wall"28 abovereterred to'and clearly shown in Figure 5. These slidesSZarearranged beneath the switch elements 19 and transversely thereof,so that when any slide is'elevated as shown'in Figure 5, it'engages'allof the vswitch elements 19 ofa particular row'and returns said elementsto their normal horizontal positions. :As these elements are tlHHPlHS 6that the various switch elements 19 and the latch elements 18 are arraned in staggered relation, so that each slide 37 is capable of returningaplurality of switch elements 19'to their normal positions upon eachoperation. The slides 37 repose upon a series of plates arrangedlongitudinally withinthe supporting structure 13, there being a seriesofthese plates arranged in each side of the supporting structure, theplates being utilized to raise the slides 37 to an active position inthe manner to be presently described. The-plates of each series arearranged in end to end relation and are indicated at 39, 40 and 41respectively. There is aseries of these plates at each side of thesupporting structure, andthe correspondingpplates 39 and 400i therespective series are of e ual length. In other words, each of these pates 39 and 40 is of a length to support-approximately 15 of the slides37,

so that when either pair of plates are operated, 15 of the said slides37 are elevated to operate all of the switch elements 19 arranged in thepath of said slides, and thus simultaneously extinguish all of the bulbsconnected in circuit with said switch elements. The corresponding plates39 of the respective series are operated by levers 42 arranged inparallelism at posite sides of the supporting structure an ivoted as at43. These levers have their ree extremities connected by means of across bar or handle 44, which when de ressed operates the pair of plates39 'for-t e urpose just mentioned. he plates 40 of t e respective seriesare also simultaneously operated in the same mannerby'the levers 45which are pivoted as at 46at the opposite sides of said supportingstructure 13, and which levers are connected together by a handle bar46. Vhen these levers are actuated the plates 40 are moved upwardly toraise another series of slides, which of course extinguishes anothergroup of bulbs which are connected in circuit with any of the switchelements 19 arranged in the path of movement of this last group ofslides 37. By operating'the plates 39 and 40, any and all illuminatedbulbs arranged upon the u per half of the sign board areextinguishewhile any and .all illuminated bulbs'arranged on. thelower halfofthesignboard are similarly extinguished through the instrumentality ofthe plate41. Asshow-n inFiguresQ and 11, this plate 41 is arrangedinqendto endrelation with the plates .40, but :also extends beneath thelowerhalf of theseiplates for a par ose to be hereinafter described. These pates 41 are simultaneously operated through levers 47 arranged atopposite sides of the supporting structure and connected by a crossbar.or handle 48, {501G185 said levers can .be slmultaneously operated.iEach lever 47 is connected'with ithe-adjacent, plate 41 by means of alink 49 which is terminally connected with the plate 41,and pivoted at apoint between its ends to the lever 47.

\Vhen the plate 41 is raised, the remaining slides 37 are simultaneouslvelevated to extinguish any and all of the illuminated bulbs on the lowerhalf of the signboard.

Now, arranged beneath the plates 39 and of the respective series of saidplates are plates 50, and each ofthese plates is of a length equal tothe combined length of the adjacent plates 39 and 4:0. The plates 50 atopposite sides of the supporting structure are adapted to besimultaneously .operated by levers 51 arranged in the same manner as theother levers above described, and which levers 51 are connected by across bar or handle 52. The corresponding extremities of the levers 51are connected with the aforesaid plates 50 through the instrumentalityof links 53, so that when thehandle bar 52 is depressed, the plates 50at opposite sides of the su 'porting'structure are simultaneously lifted\Vhen these plates are lifted they raise both of the adjacent plates 39and 40 above referred to, and consequently 30 of the slides 37 aresimultaneously operated to extinguish any and all of the illuminatedbulbs on'the upper half of the sign board 10. 'Manifestly, the plates 50are only used when it is desired to extinguish all of the illuminatedbulbs on the upper half of the sign board, but when it is desired toextinguish only a certain group or number of such bulbs either of theplates 39 or 40 of the respective series is independently operated.

It Wlll be further observed upon in pection of Figure 2 that the plates50 have their lower edges 1 ing vflush with the corresponding edges 0the plates 41, inasmuch as the plates 50 and plates 41 at each side ofthe supporting structure are to repose upon a plate 54 which is of alength equal to the combined lengths of the plates 50 and 41respectively. The plates 54 at both sides of the supporting structureare also adapted to be simultaneously raised and lowered through theinstrumentality of the levers 55 which ale arranged upon the supportingstructure in the manner described in connection with other levers, andwhich levers 55 are connected by a cross bar or handle 56. Acomparatively long link 57 is pivoted on the inner end of each lever 55,and the upper edge of each link 57 at four distinct points are connectedwith the adjacent plate 54. The purpose of the plate 5a is to elevateall of the plates above referred to, and arranged above the plate 5-1 sothat when the handle bar 56 is depressed, all of the illuminated bulbson the sign board are simultaneously extinguished. It will be noted uponreference to Figure 11 that each of the plates hereinabove described isformed with a dovetailed extension 59 which is received by a groove ofsimilar contour formed in the adjacent side of the supporting structureto hold the plates operatively positioned with relation to each otherand also with relation to the slides 37 and to furthermore guide saidplates in their movements. It is manifest from the foregoingdescription, that I have devised an electric sign board which supports alarge number of electric light bu bs which can be easily andconveniently illuminated in different combinations over the entire areaof the board or any part thereof for the purpose of forming certainletters, words or sentences for advertisin purposes, and that any one ormore of said pendently and collectively extinguished through thearrangement of the levers above described.

lVhile it is believed that from the fore going description, the natureand advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire tohave it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shownand described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desiredasfall within the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of independently movable'switch elements,a pivoted latch for normally holding each element in its inactivePOSltiOIl, means for automatically moving each switch element bulbs canbe indeto an active position and holdin it in said position,subsequently to its release from said latch elements and means forreturning said switch elements to their normal position.

2. In combination, a lurality of independently movable switcii elements,a pivoted latch element for normally holding each switch element in itsinactive osition, means for automatically moving eacii switch element toan active position and holding sequently to its release, and means forre-' turning one or any predetermined numbers of said switch elements tonormal position,

4. In combination, a housing havin a plurality of openings in the topthereo a plurality of independently movable switch elements arranged insaid housing, a pivoted latch for normally holding each element in itsinactive position, a. sliding rod for each latch element, said rodshaving their corresponding extremities projecting through said openingsof said housing, whereby said rods can be readil to effect a release ofany of said switch elements, means for automatically moving each switchelement to an active position,

y depressed and means for returning one or predeter- I mined numbers ofsaid switch elements to their inactive positions.

5. The combination with a switch. including a plurality of switchoperating rodsmounted for sliding movement, of a housing having openingsin the top thereof through which said rods project, and groovesintersecting said openings journaled in said handle and adapted to bemoved through said grooves to depress said rods for the purposespecified.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature.

HRISTIAN G. ROESCH.

a handle, a wheel

